University of Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel and his staff have worked hard to establish relationships with high school coaches in the state since taking over the program. They don’t want to see talent leaving that could potentially help the Vols compete for championships.
The results were evident last week when Tennessee signed 27 new members to the program on the first day of the early signing period.
The class includes 23 high school prospects and four college transfers. Eighteen of the 27 are slated to be early enrollees who will participate in spring practice. Several of them are already on campus going through workouts out with the team as the Vols prepare for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Iowa on New Year’s Day (1 p.m. EST, ABC) in Orlando, Florida.
Eight members of the high school class hail from Tennessee, including 2023 Division I Class 6A Mr. Football Boo Carter from Bradley Central High in Chattanooga. Four-star defensive back Kaleb Beasley and four-star linebacker Edwin Spillman are out of Lipscomb Academy in Nashville.
“We are always going to place an emphasis on it,” Heupel says of in-state recruiting. “We spend a lot of time and energy in communication with the high school coaches. Those are guys that have their boots on the ground here. We’re going to recruit them the right way. It doesn’t mean we’ll get every single one of them or offer every single one of them. We want to make sure that we are very thorough in the evaluation process based on where we’re at, who they are, what their makeup is and if it’s the right fit.”
Early signing day has become the de facto signing day in college football. It has essentially replaced the Feb. 7 when most programs now put the finishing touches on a class, if they sign any more players at all.
Tennessee’s 2024 recruiting class is ranked No. 13 nationally, according to 247Sports Composite, and No. 7 in the 16-team SEC, which will add Texas and Oklahoma next season.
The Vols signed five defensive linemen, including five-star Jordan Ross of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, who is ranked the No. 1 edge rusher in the nation by 247Sports. They signed five players from the state of Georgia, headlined by five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews.
“I love the length and athleticism that we’ve added,” Heupel says. “You look at what we’ve signed, obviously a point of emphasis was the line of scrimmage. We’ll continue to add really good players to our roster in that way, and then athleticism and length at the skill spots. They’re dynamic in the way that they play. I love the competitive makeup of this group. Some guys have already shown some leadership traits, and I’m excited to get to work with them whenever they get to campus.”
Potential from the portal
Tennessee dipped into the transfer portal to sign four players, led by tight end Holden Staes, an Atlanta native who caught 15 passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns this season at Notre Dame.
“Holden has the physical attributes. You can see in his footage already that he has the ability to play out in space and connect it in the line of scrimmage,” Heupel says. “He has the body type and frame to do everything that we’re going to ask him to do inside of this league and our offense. He’s bright and competitive. He has the makeup to help us immediately.”
Recruiting out of the transfer portal has become as important – and some may argue even more important – as the traditional method of signing high school recruits. It’s brought a new dynamic for college coaches to navigate in the ever-changing world of college football, along with name, image and likeness financial incentives to lure recruits.
“I think the hardest thing in today’s landscape is the uncertainty of the numbers. That can be with your entire roster (or) it can be with position groups,” Heupel says. “So, because of the portal the recruitment of these guys, and I’m talking about the fact that kids will still be going into the portal here into January, you’re constantly evaluating your roster, where you’re at, what are the needs that you have? You’re looking for athletic traits. At times, you feel like you need experience. At times, you feel like there’s guys that are on campus that you need to develop and get them ready to play by the time that you kick off next year.”
Given the fluidity in the portal and some players still deciding whether to return to UT next season, the Vols may not be done adding players over the next few months. But they have signed a core group that they hope stays on campus long enough to produce some winning seasons.
“I think we’re closing in on being more defined on our roster,” Heupel says. “With the portal dates, nothing is finalized at this point for any team across the country. That’s your own roster, but it’s also guys that become available in the portal.”